euewe



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

T. H. HUEWE.

APPARATUS FOR PLACING TORPEDOES UPON TRACKS. N0. 262

Patented Aug. 22

N PLTERa. Photo-Lithographer. wuhin mn, n.c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. H. HUEWE. APPARATUS FOR PLACING TORPEDOES UPON TRACKS.

Patented Aug. 22

N. PETERS. Phoromm n rm. Wahin mn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

THEODOR H. HUEWE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN B. BOLLMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR PLACING TORPEDOES UPON TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 262,950, dated August 22, 1882.

Application filed February 21, 1882. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEoDon H. HUEWE, of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Placing Torpedoes upon Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a mechanism or apparatus designed to be actuated bya moving 1o train and to place a torpedo upon the track at a considerable distance ahead thereof to give warning to a train approaching from the opposite direction, should there be one, and also to remove the torpedo from the track when reaching a given point, the danger being over;

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved mechanism applied to a track; Fig. 2, a plan view, showing the action of the operating devices; Fig. 3, a modification of the trip-lever mechanism.

The purpose of this invention is to prevent collisions in passing curves and other places, where one train cannot be seen from the other 2 until too late; and to this end it consists in a horizontally swinging or moving lever carryin g one or more torpedoes, and arranged to be thrown out to a position which will cause the torpedoes to be placed directly over or upon 0 the rail through the movement of a trip or lever connected with the torpedo-lever and actuated by the train, and also arranged to be withdrawn from over the rail by a second trip connected with the first in such manner that 3 5 the depression of either causes the other to stand in an upright position. Thus the train depressing the first trip or lever causes the second to be raised into position to be struck by the wheels of the train when reaching said 0 trip, at the same time placing the torpedo in position to be acted upon by a train coming in the opposite direction, while if the train reach the second trip-lever before the torpedoes are fired bya train from the opposite direction the 5 danger is past, and the torpedoes, being no longer necessary, are withdrawn by the depression of the said second trip-lever, which causes the first trip or lever to stand upright ready to be acted upon by the following train. The arrangement will be duplicated but reversed on the opposite side of the track, so that a train from either direction shall give the warning or place torpedoes on the track a long distance in advance, so that the train first nearing the dangerous point will first place torpedoes upon U the track, and thereby give warning to the other train.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents an upright post, carried and free to turn in suitable bearings, and provided with arms B and C, projecting horizontally therefrom, substantially at right angles to each other. The arm B carries a block or cross-piece, D, provided with holes a to receive the stems or wires b of torpedoes E, which are passed through the holes and secured by clamping-screws 0.

The block or cross-piece D may, if preferred, be divided and the clamping-screws arranged to draw the two leaves or parts together, instead of the arrangement mentioned.

The arm 0 is connected bya rigid bar or rod, F, to the upper end of an arm, G, extending upward from a rock-shaft, H, which also carries a trip-lever, I, and it is further connected by wire, chain, or cable J, of any suitable kind, with a similar arm, K, mounted upon a second rock-shaft, L, alsoprovided with a trip-lever, M, as shown.

The connecting wire or cable, of whatever nature it may be, is provided with. aflexible section to pass around apulley, N, from which it extends to the top of the arm K, this arran gement being adopted to secure a reverse movement of the arms Grand K and the trips I and M. It is obvious, however, that the same result may be secured by extending the arm or lever K below the rock-shaft L and connecting the cable, wire, or rod J to said depending arm, as in Fig. 3.

The parts being constructed as above explained, and the road being clear, the torpedoes areswung back under a protecting box or cover, 0, within which the shaft or post A is placed, and when the torpedoes are thus thrown back the trip Mwill stand in an upright position, the trip I lying down in a horizontal position. If, now, a train approaches in the direction indicated by the arrow, Figs. 1 and 2, the trip M will be depressed thereby and the trip I elevated, the torpedoes being thrown out to the position shown-in Fig. 1 by the turning of the post or shaft A through the connections above explained.

The torpedoes are located at such distance from the trip M that a train coming from the opposite direction to that which depresses trip M shall run upon the torpedoes in time to reverse the engine and get Well under way before the first train reaches it; but should there be no such train from the opposite direction the first train reaching and depressing the trip I, raised by the depression of the trip M, will rotate or turn post A and swing the torpedoes from the track. At the same time and by the same action the trip M will be raised, ready to be actuated by a following train.

As stated, a like arrangement of devices will be placed at the other side of the track, to be actuated by a train from the opposite direction to that indicated, should that be the first train nearing the dangerous point. In this way the protection of the trains is rendered certain and the placing and the removing of the torpedoes are made entirely automatic, thus avoiding the danger existing where the services of [L611 are required in placing and removing the torpedoes.

The cables may be carried in boxes above or under ground.

The trips I and M may be jointed to fold down when a train comes from the opposite direction from that by which they are to be operated, though I prefer to place them at the righthand side of the track relativelyto the advancing train, and to provide a special arm to strike and operate them.

I do not broadly claim a torpedo-signal placed upon and removed from the track by the mo"- ing train.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is In combination with the movable torpedocarrying arm B, trips I and M, connected with the torpedo-arm and with each other, as shown and described, whereby a moving train is caused to first depress the trip M and elevate the trip I, thus placing the torpedo upon the track, then to depress the trip I, elevate trip M, and swing the torpedoes from the track, substantially as set forth.

THEODOR H. HUEWE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. DODGE, JOHN B. BoLLMAN'. 

